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Video Surveillance Software
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Video Surveillance Software
2:26 PM EDT 7/20/06
Our library has had several incidents involving vandalism and dangerous behavior, so we are wanting to put in a video surveillance/security system. I've been tasked with finding out what options are out there, so I was hoping that any libraries that use such technology could let me know what system they use, as well as the vendors and their experiences.

Thanks,
Wendell
Re: Video Surveillance Software
5:22 PM EDT 8/15/06 as a reply to Wendell Gragg.
This is very interesting. Now I'm wondering whether my central and branch libraries have such a surveillance system. If they do, it's pretty unobtrusive.

Aside from the technology side of it, what kinds of policy issues have you run up against --anything? Any resistance from staff or the board?
Re: Video Surveillance Software
12:27 PM EDT 8/29/06 as a reply to Wendell Gragg.
Our library has a lower level that is not always under staff surveillance. Thinking about using video recorders for surveillance. What are the pros and cons and what equipment and software do you find best Thinking about a four way monitor with cameras.
Re: Video Surveillance Software
12:51 PM EDT 8/29/06 as a reply to kathy meyer.
Since I'm not directly involved in management of a library, I usually turn first to the [url /do/Navigation?category=10824 ]PubLib list[/url] to see what discussions have taken place there on any given subject.

These are the results for a search on "[url http://lists.webjunction.org/publib/search.cgi?query=Video+Surveillance&submit=Search%21&metaname=swishdefault&sort=swishrank ]Video Surveillance[/url]."

The first post in the results list talks about policy and the effect on patrons:
"...the use of a surveillance camera in a public library WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE PATRONS is disturbing..."
This is echoed in post #5.

I didn't find anything about the software in use, but it's clear that other libraries are using some kind of surveillance equipment. We'd like to know what works.
Re: Video Surveillance Software
10:02 AM EDT 8/23/07 as a reply to kathy meyer.
We installed a digital video surveillance system in a library remodeling/expansion in 2002. The technology has changed and advanced enough that the vendor is not longer relevant, but some other issues to consider (and some may be readily available now in available systems):
-motion detection is a must and it's nice if you can tailor what areas of the image prompt the motion detection (so you can screen out banners that may blow in the HVAC wind)
--get extra capacity. It's not too much more to get a system that can handle 8 cameras rather then 4, even if you only need 4 now. Get lots of disc capacity so you can store multiple weeks (most of the PC based systems allow storage that spans multiple large hard drives).
--get a DVD burner so you can archive incidents when necessary. --check to see if video surveillance recordings are considered a public record in your state that would require a certain mandatory retention period.
--be careful what you store so you don't impinge on patron privacy laws in your state (though the compressed images get pretty fuzzy so that reading the spines of books or computer screens may not be possible, anyway).
--consider a system that can be easily connected to your local area network, allowing real-time supervision from designated staff computers on your network. Most also have provisions for off-site monitoring (ours could even issue a email prompt when motion was detected at night), but make sure security is sound so you don't have the wrong people monitoring.

John DeBacher
Wisconsin